SpecialEffect News

SpecialEffect News

Whatever digital game you play on Friday, there’s a strong possibility that if you purchase something ‘in game’, you’ll be helping a unique and very special
UK charity with a global reach. That charity is SpecialEffect.

We’re talking about Clash of Clans, Angry Birds, Best Fiends, Company of Heroes, Word Brain, New Star Soccer, Dream League Soccer, Stronghold… these
and many more popular games. Over 50 games industry companies including household names like EA, SEGA, Supercell and Rovio are donating their UK profits
for one or more games for the day to help gamers with disabilities – some are even giving their entire global income.

It's One Special Day, and it’s one of our flagship events for the games industry to be loud and proud about
helping severely physically disabled gamers to play on a level playing field with their families and friends.

All the funds raised will go towards our work in helping people like Will, who can now
play football online again for the first time since a spinal injury restricted all his movement to just his head and shoulders. He’d been told that
he’d never be able to play games again, but now he’s levelling the playing field with a custom arrangement of a chin joystick and shoulder-operated
switches that we put together.

The impact of this sudden ability to be included again in the world’s biggest entertainment industry goes far beyond simply having fun. It brings families
and friends together and has a profoundly positive impact on confidence and quality of life.

We're helping thousands of even the most severely disabled people every year. Our teams of Occupational Therapists and technical specialists travel across
the UK for face-to-face assessments and loans of customised technology to help bring joy into the lives of people with disabilities. In turn, we pass
on what we learn to help hardware and software developers all over the world make their technology easier to use for as many people as possible.

Our Founder and CEO, Dr Mick Donegan, said “Many people with disabilities, whether they are born with a disability or experience a serious injury or illness,
are forced to sit and watch while their friends and family experience the joy of video games. We’re here to make sure EVERYONE can join in. It is so
great to enable a severely disabled person to compete with a relative or friend for the first time. You’ve never seen a rush of pent up competitiveness
and energy like it!”

He continues, ‘What the games industry is doing for One Special Day is an incredible team effort. Every company participating is making a statement that
EVERYONE should be able to enjoy the fun of digital gaming. We can’t thank them and their players enough.’